Updated Statistics and ASU-BYU Box Score in PDF Format
Dec. 20, 2008
Glendale, Ariz.-
By Thomas Lenneberg, ASU Media Relations
The No. 20 Sun Devils edged previously unbeaten BYU in the final seconds, 76-75, at the Stadium Shootout in University of Phoenix Stadium.
After James Harden swished the last of his season-high 16 free throws with nine seconds left, BYU drove down and had their lay-up blocked out of bounds by guard Jamelle McMillan. The Cougars next shot fell short, but was put back by a BYU player for what appeared to be the game-winning shot. The officials reviewed the play and decided the shot had come after the buzzer, sealing the victory for the Sun Devils.
"I had no idea if it was good or not. Fortunately for us, it came after the buzzer, but not by much," coach Herb Sendek commented about the final put-back.
Harden had a similar sentiment about the closing seconds: "After the refs changed their minds...it felt like the greatest feeling of my life."
After winning Pac-10 player of the week back-to-back times, the Los Angeles native is finally getting the respect he deserves from the referees. His frequent penetrations to the basket and constant head fakes led to a season-high 21 attempts from the charity stripe, two more than the entire BYU team.
Harden scored the team's first nine points of the second half, including a three-point play that cut the Cougar lead to just four. Harden finished with a game-high 30 points and also racked up six rebounds, six assists, and five steals.
"We were down, I was just looking to attack more and make a play...we needed something," explained the pre-season All-American after scoring 21 of his points in the second half to help bring the Devils out of a five-point halftime deficit.
Arizona State (9-1), trailing by eight with only seven minutes to play, outscored the Cougars 14-5 to close out the game.
A long ball from Ty Abbott tied the contest at 73 apiece until BYU countered with a lay-up. Rihards Kuksiks, who didn't shoot much in the game, made a diving jumper to once again tie the game up with just a minute in regulation. The rest was up to Harden and the officials.
For the first time in school history, the Sun Devils have won back-to-back games by a single point, against IUPUI the previous game and then versus the Cougars.
"We don't get frustrated at crunch time. I think that's why when were in these situations, we came up on top," senior Jeff Pendergraph said about their propensity to win close games. "Everybody turns it up. That what makes our team so good; when we're down, we realize what we need to do to get the win."
Pendergraph ended with 22 points and nine rebounds, while McMillan scored 10.
This was the second half of a double-header played at the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and the future site of the NCAA West Regional next March.